The Good Schools Guide's view...

"Farleigh is an outstanding school and we aren't in the least surprised that parents go into raptures about the place.

'Ah, lovely Farleigh,' mused one father. Children, teachers and parents extol its virtues, its academic success, its beautiful grounds and its prowess at everything from music to sport.

But above all, it's a happy school, led by an exceptional head who's determined that every pupil should be listened to and understood. He wants children to be given the best possible start in life - and they really are."

Day-to-Day

A current parent in the Inside Scoop...

"Farleigh is simply unique. Chosen for its Catholic ethos and after endless recommendations, we have been astounded by the school. Each child is seen as an individual, nurtured and encouraged at all times.

The children have the most deep-set sense of right and wrong instilled in them from the moment they arrive, which creates kind, confident and happy children who seek to help others and find joy in the achievement of others."

Pre-Prep

The Good Schools Guide says...

"The pre-prep is based in its own spacious building on the school site, with two classes per year group. We arrived at 4pm, with excited children pouring into after-school activities like yoga and sewing. Pre-prep opens its doors for breakfast club at 7.30am and an after-school club runs till 5.45pm."

Prep

Tatler Schools Guide 2020 says...

"There is a focus on enrichment of personality: they are educating children for their futures and the workplace, not merely churning out exam bots. Pastoral care is fully integrated throughout and the teaching and learning support provision is excellent...

Parents praise the fact that their children have been lucky enough to enjoy a stress-free childhood: 'It lets children be children' - but there's not a hint of shabbiness. Slick, smart and very, very happy."

Boarding

The ISI (Independent Schools Inspectorate) says...

"Boarding makes a strong contribution to the distinctive atmosphere of the school. The very positive ethos of the school fosters considerable loyalty and pride in the boarders... It is clearly evident that boarders enjoy each other's company and acknowledge the beneficial effect that boarding has on their independence and self-reliance."

Admissions

ADMISSIONS DURING COVID-19...

We are sorry that we cannot welcome you to Farleigh in person during these unprecedented times but please be assured that our Admissions Department is still fully operational and our Head, Fr Simon, would be very happy to meet you via Skype or Zoom at a time that is convenient for you.

If your plans to move or change schools are currently affected by Covid-19, please know that Farleigh is happy for pupils to join the school at any time during the academic year, and through a number of initiatives, we ensure that all new pupils (and their families) feel welcomed at whatever point they start here.

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The Week Independent Schools Guide 2019 (The best of the best preps) says...

"The setting is delightfully rural, with 70 acres of sweeping Hampshire parkland and a landscaped arboretum, yet only five minutes' drive from the A303.

Parents praise Farleigh's inspirational head, Father Simon Everson, the teaching, the music and the pastoral care, particularly the kindness and support shown by pupils to each other across the year groups."

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The Country Life Guide to Good Schools 2018 says...

"Under the guidance of popular headmaster Father Simon Everson... it's become a leading prep school, producing confident, kind, well-rounded children. It's also strong on public speaking and the performing arts."

Acting Up!

The dedication, hard work and enthusiasm that the Year 8 LAMDA pupils put into their lessons, culminated in the Year 8 LAMDA Showcase. David Phaure, who has been providing LAMDA classes for over eight years, reviews this year’s performance.

LAMDA Acting sessions have been running at Farleigh since 2011 and have been a huge success with over 100 children attending from Years 3 to 8. The sessions are not just about acting, but children gaining self-confidence through communication and script reading. LAMDA has a 100% percent pass rate with some children gaining marks of over 90%, which is extremely hard to achieve. Last year, 30% of the children achieved Distinction (80%+). One pupil, who really did not believe in herself or think she was good at acting, achieved 89% - what a star! The average mark last year (2017-2018) was 78%, which is excellent.

I believe these sessions should be exciting and fun, but with the end result of realism in their acting. The children should believe in, and be confident in what they are performing, and above all, enjoy what they are doing. Encouragement is easy but watching children grow in confidence grow is spectacular!

This year, we ended with a Year 8 LAMDA Showcase which was brilliant. Freddie and Polly performed excellent interpretations of Shakespeare's, Launcelot Gobbo from The Merchant of Venice and Viola from Twelfth Night, respectively. They both grasped the language and delivered speeches that they truly understood. We saw some great duologue work, with Leonora and Olivia keeping the audience entertained with their comedy from The Players. Leonora and Olivia also performed their monologues and it is great to see pupils continue to be as confident when performing alone. Ona performed an effortless Miss Trunchball from Matilda, confidently directing the speech to an innocent parent (as Matilda) in the audience! Ona also performed Cloud Busting, a duologue with Daisy, in which they showed how to really stand up for yourself in a bullying scene. Elijah produced a very naturalistic and pacey performance from DNA, as well as a collaboration with Charlotte on Cloud Busting, with Charlotte, the daintier of the two (obviously!), giving a convincing performance as the bully. Annabel and Flori took us back and forth in time with their performance of Time which showed clarity, warmth and heartfelt moments. Charlotte ended the show with a fantastic unrushed monologue, great vocal and facial expressions - again keeping the comedy alive.

What I loved about the Showcase and typical of Farleigh pupils was the incredible support they gave each other.